Institute Benjamenta (or This Dream People Call Human Life)

Dir. Quay Brothers

UK 1996 | Black & White | 104 mins | Cert 12 | Animation

Cast: Mark Rylance, Alice Krige, Gottfried John

Jakob von Gunten is admitted to The Institute Benjamenta, a peculiar and isolated school for servants. Whilst learning the submissive art of servitude, Jakob gradually uncovers the Institute’s secrets. Adapted from a novel by remarkable Swiss writer Robert Walser, Institute Benjamenta is the striking live-action feature debut off the acclaimed animators, the Quay Brothers. Their distinctive style, enriched by Nic Knowland’s beautifully controlled photography and Larry Sider’s exquisite soundscapes, breathes life into every aspect of this dream-like anti-fairytale.

Available on: DVD